Seen the Lights Go Out
by Evil Authoress Inc
Summary: The last few episodes of Stars taken in a completely different direction...all because Rei didn't die. Lots of angst and a helluva one-shot. O_o


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Seen the Lights Go Out  
  
another foray by AngelAnne & Mars  
  
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"I would rather lose in a cause that I know some day will triumph than to triumph in a cause that I know some day will fail. "  
  
-- Wendell L. Willkie   
  
Teleportation was overrated.  
  
Usagi didn't care about how it saved time or how it got the senshi into those hard-to-reach places for those hard-to-reach battles. There was nothing wrong with front doors and stairs! At least the stairs had the redeeming value of burning off calories. All that damn Sailor Teleport did was upset her stomach. But worse than the Sailor Teleport, was being teleported by an unknown power to an unknown place. Usagi didn't handle nervousness well. Actually, she didn't handle it at all. Unfortunately, the front door of Ginga Television hadn't exactly been an option, so she was stuck. She could only hope that Chibichibi-if it was indeed Chibichibi responsible-teleported the senshi to where the Starlights were being massacred.  
  
The pink aura dissipated and Usagi breathed a sigh of relief. Gods above, she /hated/ doing that.   
  
"Galaxia!"  
  
Usagi's head snapped up, and she instinctively wrapped her arms around Chibichibi.  
  
Daintily seated just ahead in her ornate-but-not-quite-elaborate throne was a golden-clad woman with an incredibly smug expression. Yup. Galaxia.  
  
"How easily you've managed to enter my chamber," she said with a lazy drawl, "But you'll just die with the other three."  
  
How does she stay upright with all that weight? Usagi found herself wondering. Wait...other three??  
  
Keeping a hold of Chibichibi, Usagi slowly craned her head around, hoping beyond hope...  
  
"Fighter," she breathed in relief. Whatever miracle had occurred, it had occurred promptly. They had arrived in time to save the day! Oh yes, life was going to be good. They could join together, blast the enemy, save the world, go home, and...sleep. Or eat. She hadn't decided yet.  
  
Fighter smiled wanly, pushing a stray strand of black hair from her eyes. "Good to see you, Sailor Moon."  
  
"You're wrong, Galaxia." Healer was making a valiant effort to get off her knees. "We're not going to be killed by...by the likes of you."  
  
"Oh, is that so?" Galaxia smirked. "You can't beat me. No one can beat me. I have an entire universe of Sailor crystals on my side."  
  
"Not an entire universe," Maker snapped. "You'll never get ours. I'd just as soon step on my own than let you have it."  
  
"And so would I," Healer echoed.  
  
"And so would I," Fighter nodded.  
  
"Brave words," Galaxia snarled. "They'll do you no good in Hell."  
  
Usagi swallowed. Step on their own Sailor crystals? The thought of it made her stomach flop around.  
  
Galaxia flicked her wrist at the Starlights, as if she were swatting at flies. Raw energy leapt from her fingertips, slamming into the three Senshi like a train. They screamed, skin scorching, hair burning, bones threatening to break.  
  
"Minna!" Usagi whipped her head around to glare at Galaxia. "Leave them alone! Haven't you hurt them enough?"   
  
Galaxia tilted her head to one side. "There is never enough pain, child. Never. The shrieks of pain, the cries of the broken soldiers who beg to be spared...Never enough."  
  
Usagi looked away quickly before Galaxia could see the tears starting to slide down her cheeks, "Why do you want to do such horrible things?" she whispered hoarsely and clutched Chibichibi.  
  
"Chibi?" the little girl asked innocently.  
  
Galaxia rested her chin in her palm and regarded the senshi before her, "What do you know of good and evil? Of right and wrong? Life and death? Who are you children to dictate what is acceptable and what isn't?" Golden eyes narrowed as she dared them to think about what she had said.  
  
"Stealing Sailor crystals to gain control of the universe isn't exactly up on the goodwill list!" Makoto snapped from somewhere behind Usagi.  
  
"Galaxia! We're going to make you pay for your sins!"  
  
Usagi winced. Why did Minako always come up with the worst one-liners?  
  
Galaxia chuckled softly, "You are? Girl...have you no clue as to who I am?"  
  
"Don't underestimate them, Galaxia!" Fighter snapped as she pulled herself to her knees. "Remember your little minions? Remember how they failed?"   
  
"They were weak," Galaxia dismissed the notion with a wave of her hand, "But as you may recall, I am not. Or have you forgotten about your planet?" she blinked innocently, "The planet you abandoned?"  
  
Well, that got a response. Usagi watched in mute fascination as Healer's attack sailed just over her left shoulder to harmlessly impact against Galaxia's shielding. Galaxia smirked.   
  
"Missed," she said coyly. She idly raised the hand not supporting her chin, "I'm bored with you."  
  
"Star Gentle Uterus!" Usagi really wanted to laugh at that...a uterus? As an attack? But she couldn't laugh. Maker's attack was deflected easily and went sailing into the void of Galaxia's realm.  
  
They were screwed. Rei grunted, looking away. She'd seen how powerful the Starlights' attacks were, and yet they were being flicked aside like nothing.  
  
"Isn't there something we can do?" Ami whispered, clutching at her bow.  
  
Two golden bracelets seemed to hover in the air. Galaxia was grinning nastily at Usagi. This was it.  
  
Fighter saw the bracelets. "Oh no...God...Usagi!"  
  
There was a flash of golden light. Usagi closed her eyes, waited for the pain. Screams filled her ears, but they weren't her own. Bodies fell to the ground with one thump after another.  
  
Usagi opened her eyes carefully, and then she screamed.  
  
"Ami-chan! Minako-chan! Mako-chan!"  
  
There they were, crumpled on the ground. They had known, damn them! They knew what was happening! They let themselves get killed!  
  
Where was Rei?  
  
"Minna!" Rei screamed. No, her friends...they couldn't die. They wouldn't dare.  
  
Usagi wanted to cry in relief. They hadn't gotten Rei! Rei was still safe! And the Starlights--  
  
"Odango..."  
  
Oh God...nonono...  
  
Three senshi had guarded the Starlights from Galaxia's attack...but she had fired four shots. Healer was alive, albeit frozen in shock. Maker was on her knees, hand covering her mouth as she tried not to cry. And Fighter...  
  
"No!" Usagi practically tossed Chibichibi to Rei, and bolted to the fallen senshi, "Seiya!" she shrieked as she gathered her into her arms, "Seiya!!"  
  
"Odango," she breathed and smiled slightly, "Please don't be sad..."  
  
Usagi shook her head frantically, "You can't leave!" she blubbered through her tears, "You need to fight for your princess, remember?"  
  
"I did..." Fighter whispered, "But I know...when it's time...to quit..."   
  
"Fighter!" Maker snapped from behind Usagi's shoulder, "You have to fight! You can't give up!"  
  
"Shut up...we have nothing left..." Healer murmured, more to herself then anyone else.  
  
"Usagi..."  
  
Everyone turned to the three other fallen senshi. A golden haze had surrounded their forms and they were beginning to look...transparent. Ami had been the one who had spoken. She was sprawled on her back, but had a slight grin on her battered face.  
  
"You still have Usagi..." she managed to get out.  
  
"Why?" Maker's voice wavered as she bit down on her lip. "Why did you protect us?"  
  
"You have such a bright shine..." Even Minako's eyes were smiling, albeit a pained one. "I never doubted you...for a minute."  
  
"Please, Seiya, don't go..." Usagi sniffled miserably. No one should die for her! She certainly didn't ask for it.  
  
Fighter reached up a hand to wipe away at Usagi's tears, but she too was fading fast and merely passed through Usagi's skin like a ghost. "You still have...that boyfriend, right? You've got to fight...for him."  
  
Mamoru. Oh yes...  
  
"But I need you too, Seiya!"  
  
"We believe in you...Sailor Moon..." Makoto just managed to croak, before she became nothing more than golden bubbles in the air.  
  
"Mako-chan!" Rei fell to her knees. "Minna, don't go!"  
  
"Rei-chan...you've got to protect her." Ami coughed once, and then fluttered away in sparkles and bubbles.  
  
"We really blew it, didn't we?" Healer was still muttering to herself. "First the Princess...and now..."  
  
"Don't...say that!" Fighter barked, and then winced. Too much effort. "You two are too strong to talk...nonsense like that!"  
  
"Yaten-kun...you were always my favorite. Be strong...for her." Minako faded away in an instant.  
  
"This isn't right!" Usagi shrieked in desperation as she wildly looked from Fighter to where her friends had been and back again, "Everyone promised to stay alive!"  
  
Fighter grinned wryly and coughed, "Did I...?" she shook her head slightly, "Sayonara, Odango..." she whispered and she was gone in the same haze of sparkles and golden bubbles that had taken the others.  
  
Usagi squeaked slightly as the weight and warmth of Star Fighter vanished.  
  
"Seiya!" Maker reached out with a hand as if to try to catch the bubbles, but they popped as they met her gloved fingertips, "Dammit," she sniffled in frustration and turned away, "It's not supposed to be this way..."  
  
"No?"   
  
The four senshi turned back around at the smug voice. Oh yeah. They were still in Galaxia's chamber.  
  
Galaxia still lounged in her throne, looking quite content. Her chin rested on her left hand, and in her right hand, she held four stolen Sailor crystals.  
  
"Beautiful," she murmured, "Such a shine...simply beautiful," she giggled slightly.  
  
Healer stood on shaky legs, apparently having snapped out of her reverie, "Bitch," she whispered hoarsely, "You damned smug bitch..."  
  
"Healer..." Maker warned, "Don't..."  
  
"No! I'm not going to stop!" Healer snapped. "Seiya wasn't supposed to die! But she's dead, Taiki, and I'm not going to let this fucking whore get away with it!"  
  
Rei knelt down and put a hand on Usagi's shoulder. "Usagi...?"  
  
"Seiya..." Usagi rubbed futilely at her eyes. "Ami-chan....Minako-chan...Mako-chan...Rei-chan, they're gone! They died for me..."  
  
"You've got to be strong, Usagi." Rei looked her friend...her Princess...straight in the eye. "You can't let their sacrifice got to waste."  
  
"Chibi chibi," Chibichibi agreed, nodding her little head in agreement.  
  
"I know," Usagi slowly stood. "It just hurts..."  
  
"Do you realize how many lives you've destroyed?" Healer pointed a finger at Galaxia and snarled like a wild animal. "How many people have laid in bed at night and cried because they had nothing? You took everything away from them! From ME! You took everything from ME and I'm not going to stand for it."  
  
Maker sighed. Well, when in Rome...  
  
"You took our hope, you took our future, but I'll be damned if you're going to do the same to this planet," Maker looked down her nose at Galaxia. "I won't let you have another sob story to laugh at."  
  
"Really." Galaxia smirked.  
  
"Galaxia..." Rei handed Chibichibi back to Usagi and they both rose to their feet, "You have gone too far this time."  
  
"Chibi!" Chibichibi agreed, raising a tiny fist to accent her point.  
  
Usagi felt a smirk of her own crossing her features. The Sailor Senshi were down, but they weren't out! They could still defeat her! "In the name of the moon!" she called out, striking her familiar pose, "You're going to get it."  
  
Galaxia rolled her eyes, "You have no right to kill me. Despite what you may think of yourselves, you're not Divine," in a flash, she too was on her feet, with her wrists raised and bracelets primed, "I, on the other hand..." she trailed off and smiled.  
  
Healer smiled her own smile, "You'll never win, bitch," she snarled, "Star Sensitive Inferno!"   
  
"Not with us young, headstrong fools..." Maker muttered wryly, "Star Gentle Uterus!"   
  
Galaxia swatted away the attacks, "How many times-"  
  
"Mars Flame Sniper!"  
  
Galaxia sighed in exasperation and smacked the fire arrow out of existence, "You're beginning to irk me."  
  
Usagi called forth her Tier. She balanced Chibichibi on a hip and kept an awkward hold on her weapon, "And you irk us," she said coldly, "You've taken away my important friends and I can't forgive you."  
  
"Really," Galaxia shook her head, "Goodbye, Sailor Moon," and she fired again.  
  
There was another golden flash. Usagi vaguely wondered how lucky she was going to be...  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
Everyone blinked. Even Galaxia seemed mildly confused. Maker took the rebound.   
  
"Oh, pity," she said. "Guess you just figured we were little wimpy girls without a fighting chance."  
  
"You figured wrong, eh?" Healer grinned. She'd gone absolutely crazy. She was hovering on a death wish, but at this point, anything was better than what she and Maker had right now.  
  
"This isn't over." Galaxia flicked her wrist. It felt like the entire world had flipped upside down. All of Rei's organs seemed to be hanging in non-gravity and turned inside out. Since when did she have so much blood...?  
  
"Who'd have thought the old man to have so much blood in him?" Galaxia quoted. She flicked her wrist again. There were screams of agony again...  
  
Usagi held Chibichibi close to her chest as her skin burned. She felt hot tears squeeze down her face. It hurt so badly, but she wouldn't give in. She'd never give in.  
  
"Quoting Shakespeare won't get you on my good side," Maker wheezed.  
  
Rei leaned over toward Usagi as far as her protesting muscles would allow. "Usagi...where did Haruka-san and the others go?"  
  
"Chibi!" Chibichibi cried, clutching at Usagi's front bow, "Hurt!"  
  
The Tier clattered to the floor as Usagi fell back to her knees, "Minna...hang on!" she managed to wheeze out just before her world turned black.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Lilies were nice.  
  
So were tiny marshmallow bunnies nibbling on said-lilies.  
  
Mamo-chan wearing a white tuxedo standing amongst the lilies and marshmallow bunnies was the best of all.  
  
Usagi grinned like a fool and leapt forward, being sure not to get tangled up in her new spring dress. Mamo-chan was home from America! He had come to sweep her off her feet! He had returned to feed her truffles by the candlelight while watching bad soaps! Her love was back, oh, her love was back!  
  
"Mamo-chan!" she giggled and leapt into his arms.  
  
"Usako!" he smiled and leaned down.  
  
Their lips brushed...  
  
...and Usagi awoke to find a very surprised Haruka above her.  
  
"Um...you're not Mamo-chan, are you?" she tried, smiling innocently at the blonde hovering above her.  
  
"Not last time I checked," Haruka smirked briefly and then got down to business. "What happened in there?"  
  
"As if you don't know?" Maker muttered. "You were watching us in the TV room."  
  
"I want to hear it from her," Haruka said, being as patient as humanly possible (...for her.)  
  
Hotaru held Chibichibi in her lap, and the small child immediately decided that Hotaru's earrings were the perfect playtoy. She tugged gently on them, fascinated. Hotaru smiled. "She's so innocent...It reminds me of someone."  
  
"We saw Fighter's sacrifice." Setsuna looked down sadly. "I'm sorry for your loss, but...I thank you for protecting our princess."  
  
"She's your last hope. She's OUR last hope," Healer just barely managed to smile without crying again. "We're glad to do it."  
  
Maker nodded, taking Healer's hand in her own. "We don't want to see what happened on Kinmokusei. A planet with such a bright future doesn't deserve it."  
  
Usagi swallowed. "Galaxia tried to kill me. She fired off four shots...She killed Ami-chan, Mako-chan and Minako-chan. The last one was supposed to be mine...Seiya jumped in the way. S-Seiya saved me..."  
  
Michiru put one hand on Usagi's shoulder and her other on Haruka's. "There will be time to mourn later, Princess. Right now, we have to fight."  
  
"I don't want to mourn later!" Usagi's anger was finally catching up to her. "I want to mourn them now! I want to feel grief and sadness, and I don't want any more people I love to get hurt!"  
  
Usagi regarded all of the remaining Senshi, trying to look regal and commanding. "Do you hear that? You're not allowed to get hurt for me!"  
  
Michiru averted her eyes. Haruka opened her mouth, but Usagi's glare kept her silent, "Don't you even /think/ about giving me your 'sometimes sacrifices are necessary speech', Haruka-san!" Usagi's fist clenched.   
  
//Galaxia had fired four shots...//  
  
She shook her head forcefully, "If we join together we can beat her!" she declared. She took one of Haruka's hands and held it in both of her own, "Please, Haruka-san...let the Starlights join us."  
  
Haruka glanced over at the two battered Senshi and her expression softened. They understood that some things were so precious that they had to be defended, no matter the cost. She could respect that. So surely they could understand a lost cause...  
  
Haruka turned back to Usagi and smiled slightly, "Princess...I would be honored to fight with them," she ignored Maker's slight gasp of surprise, "But in their condition, Galaxia would be able to easily kill them."  
  
"Don't be so sure," Healer muttered darkly.  
  
Haruka gently pulled her hand from Usagi's grasp and brushed her fingertips across Usagi's cheek, "Believe in us," she turned to Michiru, "Ready?"  
  
The other Senshi nodded.   
  
Hotaru stood and walked to where Rei had been silently sitting, "Take care of them, Rei-san," she whispered and handed Chibichibi over.  
  
Rei nodded once, and Hotaru and Setsuna were out the door.  
  
"Hotaru-chan! Setsuna-san! What are you doing?" Usagi jumped to her feet. "Haruka-san, what are they doing?"  
  
Haruka smiled. "Stay here, Princess. Rei-chan and the Starlights will watch you for now. We...have business to take care of."  
  
Michiru gave Usagi a short nod, and she and Haruka took off after their partners.  
  
"No! Wait! We're supposed to go in together!" Usagi started to chase after them, but Rei grabbed her wrist and stopped her.  
  
"Usagi...just let them go for now."   
  
Usagi gave her a wide-eyed look. "Rei-chan, they're going to attack Galaxia on their own! I don't want them to get hurt!"  
  
"You have to have faith in them," Maker said, rubbing her scortched shoulder. "They're not going to do anything stupid."  
  
"But--" Usagi started to protest, but it died on her lips. She sighed. "Alright. But if they're in trouble--!"  
  
"We'll go right in. We promise," Healer barely smiled.  
  
Chibichibi hugged Usagi's legs with all her might, barely reaching her knees. "Chibi chibi!"  
  
"Good luck," Rei called softly out the open door. "You just might need it this time..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"'I don't think my mother ever saw the irony in calling me a son-of-a-bitch...'"  
  
Setsuna sighed, carefully propping herself up on her staff. "Uranus, now isn't the best time for your dry sense of humor."  
  
"Well, I'm not sure we're going to live to see a better time," Haruka retorted, feeling a warm trail of blood ooze down her side.  
  
Michiru pulled herself up to her knees, wincing as all her new bruises made themselves known, "Well, if anything, Usagi will be pissed off considering she ordered us not to get hurt and all," she gritted her teeth and managed to stand the rest of the way up, "Not that we really had much of a choice in the matter-" Michiru was cut off as Hotaru collided against her, thanks to another Galaxia Potshot.  
  
"Neptune! Saturn!" Haruka yelped and kneeled down to help untangle the two Senshi.  
  
In her throne, Galaxia stretched a golden-clad leg and grinned at the audible pop. It was turning out to be something of a stressful day for her...fortunately she had an abundance of Sailor crystals to make up for it. "Anyone else?" she called out cheerfully. The Senshi on this planet were dedicated, yes, but how could the ideals of love and justice hold up against her power? She eyed the abandoned Silence Glaive off to the side and the four battered soldiers before her. Not too well, it seemed.  
  
"I'm fine," Hotaru managed to wheeze as she picked herself off Michiru. She eyed the massive scorch mark that had once been her bow, "All things considering."  
  
Michiru coughed and sputtered as the wind returned to her, "Tell me...why coming alone...was a good...idea...?"  
  
"To fight the good fight," Haruka answered with a small grin, "Protect our princess...protect the innocent...all that good stuff."  
  
"Besides...she started it."  
  
Three pairs of eyes widened and looked up to Setsuna in shock. She for her own part, continued to lean on her staff and glare at Galaxia.  
  
"Did you just tell a joke?" Michiru ventured as she accepted Haruka's aid to stand BACK up.  
  
Setsuna said nothing.  
  
Michiru shook her head, "This must be the final battle if even SHE'S making rotten jokes..."  
  
Galaxia cleared her throat to catch their attention, "Excuse me? Melodramatic queen here, wishing to kill you."  
  
Haruka really REALLY wished she had a plan. She had always prided herself on thinking up clever things on the fly, as it were, but it was at this time that she needed something set up for her.   
  
They were going to die. Usagi was going to be so mad at them...  
  
Galaxia held up her bracelets. "Now, can I do this the easy way, or do I have to keep ripping you to bits until I find your Sailor crystal? It's like finding a prize in a cereal box, but with more blood."  
  
"Wait." Michiru had something; there was a special spark in her eye that only Haruka saw. Haruka felt her stomach clench; it was unthinkable! It was the highest form of treason!  
  
But what else did they have left?  
  
Galaxia lowered her bracelets a fraction. "Yes?"  
  
"Do you have any more of those bracelets left?" Haruka felt a very evil smirk creeping up her face. Look the part, she told herself, don't let them see how totally repulsed you are by the idea...  
  
Galaxia chuckled. "I had a feeling it would come down to this. You two do seem of above average intelligence...You know when to give up."  
  
"Uranus!" Setsuna looked mortified. "You wouldn't!"  
  
"Shut up," she growled. "This is our way."  
  
"What do these bracelets entail?" Michiru took a few uneasy steps, and finally regained her balance. She had a death grip on Haruka's arm for good measure, however.  
  
"I'll have to take your Sailor crystal first," Galaxia said, with a shrug. "But then you'll have all the power my minions did. I hope, however, you'll be able to wield it better."  
  
"Of course." Michiru looked Haruka deep in the eye. It was a look that said, "we are going to catch hell for this."  
  
Haruka's responding look said, "you're too pretty to go to Hell."  
  
"What are you waiting for, Galaxia? We've made up our minds." Haruka gave Setsuna and Hotaru what would probably be her last sane look at them. She wanted to mouth an apology to them...but her lips refused to form words.  
  
"Traitors!" Hotaru sobbed. "How could you? Haruka-papa, Michiru-mama, why?"  
  
"Be quiet, child," Michiru barked. "You haven't figured out? This is how we fight."  
  
Galaxia grinned. This was the best part; the anguish of betrayal. She loved it. The bracelets went up  
  
Haruka held Michiru's hand and hoped for the best  
  
There was an incredible golden flash.  
  
Haruka felt pins and needles through every vein as the bracelets clamped to her wrists. The bracelets themselves felt like terrible acid, burning all the way to her bones. It felt like everything she'd ever known was being ripped forcefully away from her.  
  
And then it stopped. Haruka turned her head to face Michiru, and saw the same glistening bracelets on her lover's arms.  
  
They'd done it.  
  
This would be interesting.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Rei's head snapped up at the cold chill that had shot down her spine.  
  
Usagi noticed, "Rei-chan?" she whispered from across the room, "Haruka-san...?"  
  
Rei nodded once.  
  
Usagi stood up against the filing cabinet she had been leaning against. Chibichibi blinked sleepily as the movement jostled her out of her dreams. Usagi smiled faintly and set the little girl onto the floor.  
  
"Going somewhere?" Healer asked from her perch atop a desk. Maker, seated on the floor beside Healer's boots studied Usagi with a raised eyebrow.  
  
"Back," Rei answered for her, "Ready Usagi?"  
  
Usagi called her Tier back, "Hai," she turned back to the Starlights, "Will you fight with us?"  
  
Both Healer and Maker looked surprised at the invitation.  
  
Maker was the first to get over her shock, "Of course," she answered and stood, "After all, Galaxia started it. We should finish it."  
  
A wicked smirk came to Healer's face, "Sounds good to me."  
  
Usagi grinned in spite of the situation, "Let's go, minna!" With a lightheartedness she didn't feel, Usagi sprinted out of the office door; Rei and the Starlights on her heels.  
  
"Chibi!" Chibichibi called and took off after them.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
This can't be real! Setsuna's mind screamed at her as she watched Haruka and Michiru gaze at their new bracelets. How could they? How?? Wasn't Haruka always going on and on about loyalty to the princess? But yet---! Could it be that she was actually afraid of death?  
  
"Setsuna-mama..." Hotaru's hand gripped at part of Setsuna's skirt. "How could they?"  
  
"I don't know," Setsuna answered truthfully. She really didn't know. She couldn't find an explaination for what she'd seen. "But I'm going to make them pay."  
  
Hotaru nodded, feeling something like cold slime trickle into her stomach. "Let's just hope Usagi doesn't see it..."  
  
"Minna!"  
  
"Fuck," Setsuna muttered. "So much for that..."  
  
Usagi stopped in her tracks. Haruka and Michiru were kneeling at the side of Galaxia's throne, heads bowed in awe and respect. On their wrists were two sets of jeweled bracelets.  
  
"No..." Usagi gripped her Tier. "This has to be...false. She's playing tricks on our eyes."  
  
"I assure you, Sailor Moon, this is very real," Galaxia called triumphantly, holding two shimmering Sailor crystals in her hand. "They have sacrificed themselves to the greater good. It was very noble."  
  
"There's nothing noble about traitors," Setsuna spat. "We'll make sure they die a humiliating death."  
  
"Setsuna!" Usagi was shocked by the harsh words. "You can't mean....you wouldn't do that to them!"  
  
"Wouldn't we?" Hotaru stood up, twirling her Glaive menacingly. "You didn't think they'd do this to us, but there they are, Sailor Moon. Bowing to Galaxia's feet."  
  
"You know, I always had a feeling," Healer said, "that you two would end up like this. It's really a pity."  
  
Maker shook her head. "Truly a shame."  
  
Galaxia smiled a slight smile and closed her fingers around her two new Sailor crystals, "A shame for you," she corrected, "You won't escape me again. Sailor Uranus! Sailor Neptune!" her quirky smile became a monstrous grin, "Kill the princess."  
  
Haruka and Michiru stood as one and turned to the conglomerate of battered Senshi. They both raised their bracelets in preparation to fire. Usagi braced herself and held her Tier out before her, but did not attack.  
  
The three stared at each other.  
  
Galaxia leaned forward in her throne in anticipation. As fun as it was to take the Sailor crystals herself, there was nothing as thrilling as watching former partners battle each other to the death. True the result was the same in the end...but at least this way had entertainment value.  
  
"Usagi-san!" Hotaru said desperately as she watched the face-off, "Kill them!"  
  
"No!" Usagi said fiercely, "They're my friends!"  
  
"They're traitors!" Setsuna snapped and spun her staff around, "Dead Scream!"  
  
She must be pissed, some insane part in Usagi's mind whispered. She actually yelled out her attack.  
  
"No! Setsuna-san!" Usagi saw Rei grab at Setsuna's staff and try to pull it away, "We shouldn't kill them!"  
  
Haruka smacked the attack away with a fwap of her wrist. As the attack detonated, Michiru leapt into the air and fired. Hotaru knocked Usagi out of the way, and the golden disks exploded against the floor.  
  
"They're traitors!" Setsuna screamed at Rei. She yanked, trying to break the other Senshi's grip on her weapon, "We must protect the princess!"  
  
"She can heal them! Remember what happened to Nyanko-" Rei was cut off as everyone was thrown to their feet. The floor had apparently become a sentient being and had decided to flip the Senshi around...  
  
Haruka sheathed her Space Sword and smirked, "Pay attention."  
  
Galaxia laughed to herself as she ground the two Sailor crystals in her palm. She had recruited Senshi with Talismans? Oh, this could get fun indeed!  
  
Hotaru gritted her teeth and lunged at her former partners, Glaive forward. Haruka smirked and met the sharp blade with her own. They pushed back and forth against each other, and despite being inches shorter than her papa, Hotaru was putting up quite a fight.   
  
Setsuna finally ripped her staff out of Rei's grip, just as a powerful ball of water slammed into the back of her head. The tan Senshi grunted and stumbled, landing in a heap on top of Rei.  
  
"Star Gentle Uterus!" Maker made an attempt, but Michiru just swatted it away.  
  
"Pathetic," Michiru said, tone almost dripping with malevolence. She raised her bracelets and fired. Maker quickled jumped back as the golden disks singed the tips of her boots.  
  
Healer snarled. "You got your pot shot, bitch. Let's go at it for real." She lashed out with her fist, but Michiru caught her punch.  
  
Usagi just stood, disbelieving. Had her knuckles been visible, everyone would have seen that they were white. She didn't understand how it could have come to this. Haruka and Michiru...they'd always been loyal to her. What had made them change? Were they truly so weak at heart that they would abandon their cause because the odds looked a bit grim?  
  
Haruka snapped her leg quickly, and her foot connected solidly with Hotaru's collarbone. There was a sick snap, and the child was thrown quite a few feet away.  
  
"You're sick." Setsuna was on her within second, swinging her staff like a baseball bat. Haruka thought she was prepared to catch it, but she was a split second too late. The jewel at the top hit her right above the ear and stars of pain suddenly flashed before her eyes.   
  
"World Shaking!" Despite her blurry vision, Haruka managed to hit Setsuna with the full force of her attack. Setsuna screamed as golden energy burned on her skin.  
  
"Haruka-san." Rei looked her directly in the eye, and did her best not to visibly shudder. There was an evil sparkle in them, something that definitely didn't belong there.  
  
Haruka regarded the other Senshi coolly, head cocked slightly to the side, "Do you wish to surrender to Galaxia as well?"  
  
Rei's eyes narrowed.   
  
Haruka's gone, she mused to herself. She became afraid and took Galaxia's offer...it's up to you to protect the princess! "Mars!" she held out her hand and let the fire gather, "Flame..." she pulled back her bow string, but didn't shoot.  
  
Haruka stared cross-eyed at the fire arrow inches away from her nose.  
  
"Usagi!" Rei yelled over her shoulder.  
  
Usagi snapped out of her stupor and somehow managed to further tighten her grip on the Tier, "Hai!" she responded, "Silver Moon---!"  
  
"If you heal her, she'll die!" Galaxia called out in amusement, "She has no Sailor crystal, remember?"  
  
"Better to die as the soldier she was then to serve under you!" Rei spat.  
  
"Haruka!" Michiru called out desperately as she tried to twist out of the chokehold that Healer had around her neck. This couldn't end yet! This--!  
  
Michiru froze as Maker's Star Yell was shoved into her face. The star was glowing, itching to fire. All it needed was for Maker to say the word.  
  
"I wouldn't," Maker smirked.  
  
"Silver Moon--!" Usagi tried again.  
  
It can't end yet, it can't end yet, it can't end yet!!  
  
Michiru drew her elbow forward and rammed it into Healer's stomach. She fell, gasping for air. Michiru leapt into the air again, before Maker could scorch her. She raised her bracelets, fired at Usagi...  
  
...and missed.  
  
The two golden disks slammed into Rei, knocking her forward. The sniper arrow dissipated and Rei screamed as her Sailor crystal was ripped from her.   
  
Everyone froze.  
  
"REI-CHAN!" Usagi caught Rei's body as it crumpled to the floor. Even before she'd reached her friend, she'd started to cry.  
  
"Please...don't cry," Rei reached up a hand to touch Usagi's cheek. "You're...too sweet for tears."  
  
"Rei-chan, why did you have to go and do that?" Usagi sniffled pitifully. "You promised you weren't going to die..."  
  
"I guess...I lied, huh?" Rei managed to smile. She felt really stupid, not having any wise words as she was dying. "Usagi, you have to...fix this. Don't let it end. Don't let that bitch win."  
  
"I won't." Usagi pulled Rei in closer. "For you...Seiya, the others...I swear I won't." Tear after tear began to fall on Rei's fuku.  
  
Hotaru groaned and slowly began to sit up, with a lot of help from Setsuna. Blearily, she recognized who Usagi was holding. "No..."  
  
Rei began to disappear, and at that moment Usagi realized that she was crying too. Was it really that bad, that even Rei would cry? "You still have Mamoru-san...baka. Don't ever forget that."  
  
Setsuna looked away, holding Hotaru's hand. Healer bit her lip as Maker helped her back on her feet.  
  
"I believe in you, Usagi...my princess..." Rei's body was gone in moments, and Usagi was left clutching at a few golden bubbles. She caved in on herself and began to sob loudly. No, Rei couldn't be dead, because...because she'd always promised to protect her. She couldn't very well protect her dead, could she?  
  
"Sailor Moon...?" Maker ventured.  
  
Usagi just continued to cry. She couldn't hold it in any longer. "Rei-chan...Seiya, Ami-chan, Mako-chan, Minako-chan....died for me..."  
  
Her head snapped up violently. Behind the tears, there was red hot anger. "I won't forgive you for that, Michiru-san. I won't EVER forgive you. I wanted to believe...it was a joke. But I can see it now. You sold out."  
  
She regared Haruka too, with the same firey anger. "Both of you. I guess you were lying when you said you trusted me."  
  
Usagi got to her feet. "I hope you feel guilty about this for the rest of your lives. However short they're going to be."  
  
"Sailor Moon...?" Maker tried again. She found herself taking a few steps back and bumping into Healer. What had happened to that sweet girl who was willing to try and work things out the peaceful way...?  
  
Apparently, a line had been crossed that should never have been crossed. It was probably a safe assumption to say that all hell was about to break loose.  
  
From her throne, Galaxia studied her new Sailor crystal, "What a shine," she murmured, "A very passionate soldier...it will be a wonderful addition to my collection."  
  
Maker could've sworn she heard a snap as Usagi bolted forward.  
  
"Give that BACK!!" she shrieked, "Give me Rei-chan BACK!" she swung her Tier wildly, but it only connected with Galaxia's shields. Usagi didn't care. She slammed the Tier against the shields again and again, and screamed in frustration.  
  
Galaxia watched her in bemusement, "Uranus, Neptune...kill her please," she quietly ordered.  
  
"Give her back..." Usagi sobbed as she hit again, "Give her back!"  
  
Haruka and Michiru casually raised their bracelets and fired at Usagi's back.  
  
They missed again.  
  
The Tier tumbled from Usagi's numbed fingers as she heard the twin thumps of bodies hitting the floor. She slowly turned back around and another small sob escaped her, "Setsuna-san...Hotaru-chan..."  
  
Pained garnet eyes gazed up at her, "It's okay...Sailor Moon..." Setsuna whispered, "We wanted to..."  
  
"Beat them, Usagi-san!" Hotaru cheered weakly.  
  
"No, no, no!!" Usagi dove forward to kneel in front of her fallen Senshi, "You weren't allowed to get hurt, dammit!"  
  
"Watch your language..." Setsuna scolded and smiled slightly, "I always...wanted to fight...with you, Usagi-san..." she disappeared into the flurry of bubbles that Usagi was really starting to despise.  
  
"It beats being...killed by the avocado monsters..." Hotaru chuckled to herself, "You can do it..." and then she was gone as well.  
  
"Noooo!!!" Usagi screamed and pounded her fist into the floor, "No, no, NO!!! It's not supposed to be this way!! I'm not supposed to be alone!!"  
  
Haruka swallowed. Oh, there was going to be a place for her in Hell alright...She could still feel Usagi's words. "I won't forgive you for that...I hope you feel guilty about this for the rest of your lives."  
  
Oh, she would. She would feel guilty every single second she looked at the pain in Usagi's face. Every time her memory called up the image of her foot breaking her child's collarbone and the look of sheer betrayal. She realized that this was truly a horrible plan. If she ever had a next time, she'd have a better one.   
  
She had never wanted more desperately to be able to say, "I'm sorry."  
  
"Finish them all off," Galaxia commanded. "I want to see every last moment of anguish."  
  
Usagi got to her feet again. There was no more anger, no more tears...only a face that sent shiviers down Michiru's spine. The face of someone who had lost everything. "I know what happened to Mamoru. I know now why he never sent me letters. You. Took. Him. Too."  
  
Galaxia smiled. "I did. He was so weak...I took his Sailor crystal in an instant. You should have seen him, dying all alone like that. Truly pitiful."  
  
Not even sure where it came from, Haruka began to chuckle. "Some protector he is. First, he leaves you for America, but he can't even get there before Galaxia-sama gets his crystal. Pathetic."  
  
Usagi punched her in the face.  
  
Haruka felt her jaw throb as she stumbled backwards, falling into Michiru. Where had that come from? What sort of twisted being was she, that she could flaunt this in her princess' face now?  
  
"Fine words from you," Usagi snarled. "You're pathetic, you lousy traitors. You know what? I hope you rot in Hell. I hope all three of you rot in Hell."  
  
Healer took in a sharp breath. This was wrong - Usagi, of all people, shouldn't be saying those things. Where had the real Usagi gone?  
  
"We have to do something..." Maker whispered. "We can't let her suffer like this, all alone. We're supposed to be protecting her!"  
  
Healer shook her head. "No, not right now. She needs to get this out of her system."  
  
"After all your talk of 'we must protect the Princess' and 'the Starlights can't be trusted,' you've turned everything around. The Starlights are all I have left now," Usagi's said, in a flat monotone. "You gave yourselves up. You took Rei-chan...Setsuna-san, Hotaru-chan. You didn't blink an eyelash. I hate you. I hate you and I hope you die."  
  
Every fiber of Haruka's being was screaming to do something, to fall on her hands and knees and cry and tell Usagi what a horrible person she was, and Hell wasn't even good enough for her.  
  
Instead, she laughed. Loudly. And so did Michiru.  
  
And caught Usagi's Tier in her cheek.  
  
Haruka blinked from her unflattering position on the floor. She could feel blood oozing down her face from several new gashes. Above her stood Usagi, Tier in hand, and arm still outstretched from her swing.  
  
The Tier's seeing a lot of physical action today, some woozy inner voice of Haruka's was saying.  
  
Usagi slowly turned her head to face Michiru.  
  
Despite herself, Michiru found herself taking a step back. She was in for it, without a doubt. They had pushed Usagi too far this time. Usagi could forgive them for trying to steal Pure Hearts, Usagi could forgive them for trying to kill themselves for the Talismans, Usagi could even forgive them breaking their word and letting Galaxia moosh them...but she was not going to forgive this betrayal.   
  
We should have explained...Michiru violently shook her head. When had they the time?! They couldn't just march up and say, "Hey, Princess, we're giving this our best, but..." This was the only way that had been open to them at the time...  
  
At the time...  
  
But they had gone and screwed it up now, hadn't they...?  
  
Hotaru...sweet, innocent Hotaru...and Setsuna...  
  
Michiru lowered her eyes, but was careful not to look at Haruka. Maybe...maybe Haruka could find the chance they needed and finish this whole horrible game. She swallowed. She was going to miss Haruka...  
  
...but at least she would never have to live without her.  
  
"I loved you so much..." she whispered, knowing that Haruka couldn't hear her over Usagi's cry of, "Silver Moon Crystal Power Kiss!"  
  
There was yet another incredible golden flash and Michiru felt the bracelets ripped from her wrists. The additional power she was feeling, courtesy Galaxia, oozed from her. Without Galaxia's power and with her Sailor crystal over in Galaxia's fist, she had nothing left.  
  
Michiru collapsed and felt herself begin to fade away.  
  
"Michiru!!!"  
  
Michiru smiled slightly and opened her eyes a tad. She needed one last look at her beloved...for Haruka's sake as well as her own...  
  
"Daijoubu..." she whispered, "...I never meant to hit Rei-chan..."  
  
If Usagi heard or cared, she gave no indication. Michiru gave it no more thought as she faded completely.  
  
"Michiru..." Haruka whimpered pitifully. She'd known they were both going to die, and she'd been ready. No, that wasn't quite true. She was ready for her own death; she never wanted Michiru to die.  
  
Of course, she never wanted to betray her Princess, but both seemed to have happened sometime from then and now.  
  
Usagi looked about ready to step on her. "Your turn. Bitch." Her eyes looked like two balls of blue fire glaring down on her.  
  
Haruka felt herself begin to cry. She'd had enough of this. The charade had been nice for a whole thirty seconds, and now she just wanted to die. She wanted to let Usagi crush her into the ground. Hell, she'd even let the Starlights beat her up. It was only what she deserved.  
  
But not before she did what Michiru had planned in the beginning.  
  
Haruka lept to her feet and shoved Usagi aside. Her bracelets flashed, and Galaxia looked mildly interested. She could see four Sailor crystals twinkle and disappear off to whatever place Sailor crystals went to.  
  
Two golden discs ripped apart Galaxia's shield and through her chest. She screamed the most incredibly, bloody scream Haruka had heard yet today. She waited.  
  
Nothing happened.  
  
"No..." Haruka took a step back. There was nothing there.  
  
"Pity," Galaxia said. "It was such a nice plan."  
  
Haruka let out a loud sob. "Michiru...we failed. I'm so sorry..."  
  
She fell to her knees. All this time, all this stupid shit they'd done, and Galaxia didn't even have a Sailor crystal after all.  
  
She looked up at Usagi, whose face registered confusion. "Please, just kill me. Get it over with."  
  
Healer exchanged a look with Maker. "Well, that was...unexpected."  
  
"I concur."  
  
Usagi's Tier lowered a fraction. "This whole time, you were...?"  
  
"Yes." Haruka hung her head. Her voice was thick with tears. "I'll never be able to make up for what we've done. Please, please just kill me."  
  
"I..." Her eyes softened.   
  
Haruka realized something: she was such a farse. She'd thrown away every conviction she'd ever had for one moment, one off-chance they'd be right. And they hadn't been. She'd killed her own daughter, two of her fellow Senshi, just for a theory. A possibility.  
  
She was worthless shit, and she knew it.  
  
"If you have any humanity in you, just kill me!" Haruka screeched, slamming her fists on the ground. "Or do you enjoy watching me suffer like this? I know I deserve no better, but please..."  
  
"Michiru's dead. Even if I could live on for her...I can't look in your face. I'll forever see what I've done."  
  
Galaxia sat back down in her chair. Now THIS was the good stuff.  
  
"I..." the Tier fell back down to the floor.  
  
Haruka smiled slightly through her tears, "Would you please be more careful with that, Princess?" she raised a hand to her shredded cheek and winced, "It deserves more respect than that..."  
  
Usagi fell to her knees with a muted sob and pulled Haruka into her arms, "Why didn't you tell me??" she demanded and sniffled miserably, "I've lost so many important people today! We could've formed a better plan...if we had just stayed together, none of this would have happened! Michiru-san...Rei-chan..." Usagi gulped, "They deserved better, Haruka-san!"  
  
She's falling...teal hair blocking her face...she's fading...no!...not my Michiru...  
  
"Yes..."   
  
"I don't want to lose anyone else!" Usagi wailed into Haruka's shoulder, "I'm sorry I took her! You should have told me! You should have TOLD me!!"  
  
"When were they supposed to?" Healer shook her head.  
  
"Let her go, Sailor Moon," Maker said softly.  
  
"No!!!" Usagi screeched and shook her head fiercely. She clutched at Haruka, "I'm not losing anyone else!"  
  
Haruka felt herself begin to cry harder. Of all the times for her Princess to have returned! Why couldn't the ballistic Usagi have killed her with Michiru?? Why was her Princess being so cruel as to prolong this??  
  
"Kill me!" Haruka pleaded miserably.  
  
"No!"  
  
Usagi squawked as Haruka shoved her off. She flung the Tier, which Usagi managed to catch, "Kill me!!"  
  
"No!" Usagi held the Tier up against her chest, "Please, Haruka-san, it's okay! I'm sorry I didn't believe you! But it's fine now! You'll be okay!"  
  
Haruka pounded the floor in frustration, "Michiru..." she sniffed, "I want to see you..."  
  
Haruka began to crumple as the bracelets disappeared. She breathed a shallow sigh of relief. Finally. Even though she would probably end up going straight to Hell...at least she didn't have to live with what she had done any longer.  
  
Long, delicate fingers interwove themselves amongst their own. Haruka looked up and gasped. A pair of laughing teal eyes winked at her...she felt herself smile and let go.  
  
Haruka faded.  
  
From her throne, Galaxia played idly with Haruka's bracelets, "When someone asks for death, Sailor Moon, you're supposed to grant their wish."  
  
"Haruka-san..." Usagi could see clearly every word she'd said to them now. They had not been traitors after all; it was all a plan, just a ruse to fool Galaxia. But she had known all along that the two Senshi had a plan, and it had gone on anyway. They had killed Rei, Setsuna, Hotaru because they had to. They had not wanted to betray her.  
  
They betrayed her for her own good.  
  
"I hope you go to Hell."  
  
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, looking at the spot where Haruka had been. "If I had only known sooner...I didn't really want you to die."  
  
"Chibi." Where had the little girl gone through all of this? One moment she was nowhere to be seen, then next she was attached to Usagi's hip like she'd always been there.  
  
Healer stood up and so did Maker. They looked at each other.  
  
"Here goes nothing, huh?"  
  
"No, this isn't nothing. Here goes everything."  
  
From somewhere, they produced their Star Yells.  
  
"Galaxia, on behalf of the dying planets, the broken Senshi, the decimated galaxy, our Princess, Sailor Star Fighter, and as cliched as it will sound, love and justice--" Maker held her Star Yell in front of her face. Purple energy began to crackle on her skin, lighting her up like a beautiful beacon.  
  
"You're going to die, you motherfucker," Healer held up her own Star Yell. Green lightening glowed in her eyes and rose from her feet. The two Senshi were engulfed by pure light.  
  
"No! Healer, Maker, don't do this!" Usagi sprang to her feet. "Please, please, don't do this!"  
  
"Chibichibi!" Chibichibi looked panicked. Not yet, not yet, they were supposed to protect Sailor Moon! What were they doing?  
  
"Star Sensitive INFERNO!"  
  
"Star Gentle UTERUS!"  
  
There was the most fantastic explosion Usagi had never seen. When she opened her eyes, she saw something she didn't expect.  
  
Galaxia's throne was charred and smoldering. She was not in it; she was on the ground in a heap. Her skin was bloody and black, her crown broken and her hair spilling everywhere. She was wheezing loudly.  
  
Healer and Maker fell into a thankful heap.  
  
"I...am...really...pissed..." Galaxia roughly yanked her hair from her face and managed to look up, "REALLY pissed..." she raised a claw-like hand, and Usagi was blasted backwards, along with the two drained Starlights.  
  
"Kill her, Sailor Moon," Healer wheezed from somewhere underneath Maker.  
  
Usagi gripped the Tier and mutely shook her head. It wasn't that simple! She had already killed, and look how that had turned out! They weren't going to get out of this by blasting and hacking and disintegrating! There had to be another way!  
  
What had happened to trying to find the Light of Hope? Kakyuu had been so insistent on finding it, but what had it been? Usagi glanced down at her brooch. The ginzuishou had certainly been the answer to many other problems: Metallia, Fiore, Kaguya...why not Galaxia as well?  
  
"Chibi!" a tiny hand covered the brooch and Chibichibi shook her head violently, "Iie!"  
  
Okay, then. It was back to the Tier, it seemed...  
  
"'Kill her, Sailor Moon, kill her'," Galaxia mocked as she pulled her way back into the remnants of her throne, "Do you children have the slightest idea of who I am?"  
  
"Bitch extrodinaire?" Healer ventured.  
  
Galaxia growled low in her throat, "What do you know of the Sailor Wars?"  
  
Maker slowly sat up, being careful not to skoosh Healer anymore than she had already been, "The strongest Senshi defeated Chaos...so?"  
  
Galaxia sighed in exasperation, "Did it ever occur to you as to who that soldier WAS?" she wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand, "Sailor Galaxia sealed Chaos. Me. And you think you have the power to defeat the one who sealed Chaos?"  
  
"The thought had crossed our mind," Maker said wryly and struggled up to a semi-standing position, "You can be hurt, so logically, you can be killed."  
  
"And this Princess will see to it!" Healer said confidently from the floor.  
  
"No..." Usagi took a shaky breath, "No more killing, please! I'll turn her back! She was once good! It has to work! It has to!"  
  
The Starlights blanched.  
  
Galaxia shook her battered head, "You're so optimistic...just like the protector of this planet," Usagi stiffened. Galaxia grinned sadistically, "Would you like to know how the little cur met his fate, Moon Princess? Do you want to hear how he begged to be spared? Do you wish to know the fate of cowards?"  
  
"Liar." Usagi spat out the word.   
  
"Oh, you think so? He knew my power. He got on his hands and knees and pleaded with me for mercy. He offered himself to me," Galaxia licked her lips. "But I wasn't in the mood."  
  
Usagi began to shake. Maker realized that the ballistic Usagi they'd seen earlier was coming back very, very soon.   
  
"You thought he was above groveling? Naive, misguided child." Galaxia slowly, ever so slowly got to her feet. "Hundreds of others have done the same. They see what I can do to them, to their very soul, and they beg me to spare them. They offer anything I want. But they all know I will get it anyway, whether it is offered or I take it from them."  
  
"He even asked for bracelets if it meant he would not die...He surrendered at my feet."  
  
"LIAR!" Usagi swung her Tier, and without words blasted Galaxia with white hot power. Galaxia flew in through air, shattering the remains of her throne and kept going.  
  
"...whoa," Healer said numbly. She tried to take a deep breath, steady herself, but immediately began coughing.   
  
"All you do is lie! Lie and ruin and kill and destroy!" Usagi blasted Galaxia again, who had not even begun to get to her feet. "You've taken everything from me! Every last thing!" Again. "And you're still not satisfied!" Again, and again.  
  
Maker blinked about a dozen times, but realized that it would not help her fading vision and the stars of pain. "All I can see is a big white zappy thing. With big marshmellow wing...stuff."  
  
"Same here."  
  
"Good; I thought my mind was going."  
  
"You will never have the ginzuishou. Do you hear? NEVER." One more time for good measure. "For everyone I love, I'll stay strong and I'll beat you."  
  
Galaxia's body did not move. In fact, it looked as though she had ceased breathing. Every inch of her body was bleeding or burning or both. Smoldering hair obscured her face and whatever was left of her fuku. She looked, by all accounts dead. But Usagi knew it wasn't even close to the end.  
  
She wasn't going to let it be the end.  
  
"How many worlds have you destroyed?" she asked Galaxia's prone form, "How many lives have you ruined? How many people have you killed?" Usagi swallowed, but refused to allow the tears to come.  
  
Rei-chan...Seiya...Mamo-chan...  
  
"I'm not going to let this continue."  
  
Her fuku exploded into a mass of free-flowing pink ribbons. Her wings expanded; became fuller. The henshin brooch vanished, leaving the ginzuishou behind, shining with a white hot light. The rod of the Tier grew until the Tier was towering a good ten feet about the Senshi. The ribbons finally pulled together into the gown of Princess Serenity.  
  
"Well, instead of a white zappy thing, I now see a white flowy thing," Maker nodded once to herself, "I guess my eyes are starting to get better."  
  
"I think the current love of Seiya's life is about to lose it, Taiki..." Healer muttered and glanced at the charred remains of her Star Yell in disgust, "And I don't think there's anything we can do about it."  
  
Serenity's crescent moon blazed.  
  
Galaxia finally managed to find the strength to open her eyes and take a look-see through her hair.  
  
"Hell's Angel is finally coming for me," despite the situation, Galaxia found herself snickering, "Let her try...Chaos is immortal..."  
  
"Galaxia..." Serenity whispered dangerously, "I'll never forgive you."  
  
The Tier began to glow again...  
  
Galaxia sat up. Her eyes were like black, bottomless voids. And she was smiling like a maniac. She threw out her hand, palm up, and blasted Usagi with a giant black hole. It merely ricocheted off the princess, flying in a totally opposite direction. Which happened to be the direction the Starlights were in.  
  
To Maker, it felt like she was being ripped to pieces by a cheese grater. Bit by bit she was being taken apart and then stuck back together by some toddler on crack, in the most random ways...  
  
And then it stopped. Now she definitely couldn't see an inch from her nose. All of her limbs were having a strange, tingly sensation.  
  
"Well, damn, that hurt," Healer said, sounding like she had a mouthful of marbles. She probably had a mouthful of loose teeth and blood but Maker was afraid to ask.  
  
Usagi tensed and swung around. "No..."  
  
"Do we really look that bad? I can't tell." Maker's head was swimming. All she could see now were abstract shapes; there was one big shiny one, which she guessed was Usagi, one big black one, which she guessed was Galaxia and one off to her side, which was Healer. Other than that...well, she was just shit out of luck.  
  
"Well, you look like shit. I'm afraid to even look at myself," Healer said, and felt something in her mouth. She spit it out - yes, it was indeed teeth. "Eew. Now that's just gross."  
  
This had to end! Usagi's mind screamed. The Starlights would die too if she continued to stand there like a moron.  
  
"I'm sorry...Healer, Maker..." She couldn't even bear to look at them, they were in such horrible shape. Blood everywhere...  
  
When Usagi turned back to Galaxia, she found something entirely different than what she'd seen before. Well, not entirely. Just mostly.  
  
Her fuku had repaired itself, this time made entirely out of some sort of black metal. Her headpiece too was fixed, and her hair was now scarlet red and done up in its curls. Her skin was so pale it might as well have been white, and her eyes were still empty holes. Big, shiny wings with black scales and red skin unfurled from her back.  
  
"That wasn't good, whatever it was," Maker said. She put her hand on top of Healer's; well, she was guessing it was her hand, anyway.  
  
"Um, yeah. It's definitely not good."  
  
"Think it's any use to try and stand?"  
  
"Not unless you want to fall right back down."  
  
"Right. Sitting is good."  
  
Usagi held out her Tier so the end was hovering over Galaxia's head. Galaxia just held out her bracelets. They said nothing to each other. Usagi took about six steps back, and then let her power fly. Galaxia held up her bracelets, shiny and black, and did the same.  
  
Bam.  
  
The two auras collided, and everything became a typhoon of white light and loud noise. Maker was sure she would have been impressed with the display, could she have SEEN it. But she could feel the floor CRACKING beneath her, and that was pretty impressive. So impressive in fact, that if she hadn't been convinced before that she was going to die, she was damn sure of it now.  
  
"Her power feels different this time, doesn't it?" Healer mused, "She's angry and she's using it..."  
  
Maker blinked and was surprised to feel tears sliding down her ruined face, "It's not supposed to be this way," she murmured. Healer squeezed her hand, and Maker began to cry harder, "They never should have come after us."  
  
"Chibi chibi?" Tiny fingers entwined themselves in both Maker's and Healer's. The little girl smiled sweetly, "Daijoubu," she reassured and patted the tangle of gloved hands with her free hand.  
  
"Aw, dammit," Healer sniffled, "Now I'm going to start crying!"  
  
The white light finally faded.  
  
Usagi leaned heavily against the Tier, panting. To say she looked a mess was something of an understatement. Her gown was ruined; it was nothing more than a few strips of tattered and bloodied cloth that may have at one time been white. Her odangos had been blasted free in the attack and now her hair tumbled limply down her back and tangled in her scorched wings. Her skin was burnt, she was bleeding heavily, but her eyes still blazed with anger. She felt each of her wounds, but she didn't care.   
  
Galaxia, for her own part, didn't look affected at all.  
  
"Impossible..." Usagi shook her head slightly, "That's impossible!"  
  
"You can't defeat Chaos, Sailor Moon," Galaxia smirked and held up her bracelets, "You could have made this so much easier if you had just cooperated. Now," her black eyes narrowed, "Give me your fucking crystal."  
  
Usagi threw her Tier down in disgust. Well? What choice did she have now? Obviously the Tier wasn't going to be an effective channel for her power. It was time to break out what had never failed her.   
  
Usagi reached out and called.  
  
"NO!!!"  
  
Everyone turned to the enraged cry, but to no avail. There was nothing to see. A bright pink haze engulfed everyone-Usagi, the Starlights, Galaxia-and swallowed them.  
  
Where's Chibichibi? Usagi wondered dimly just before the light claimed her.  
  
It was very quiet. The pink light faded only enough so Usagi could see someone standing in front of her. She was merely a shadow, but she was tall and slender with two heart-shaped odangos on her head.  
  
"You are...?" Usagi breathed. Could that be Chibichibi's real form? It wouldn't surprise her; the child had hidden the fact that she was a Sailor Senshi, after all.  
  
"Daijoubu, Sailor Moon," she whispered. "You can still win."  
  
Usagi waited for her wounds to start throbbing and looked down - to realize that she was no longer burned and bloody. She was naked, though, with only white wings remaining. Her crescent moon symbol glowed faintly in the pink world.  
  
"Who are you?" she asked.  
  
"I am the Light of Hope," was the soft reply. "You can defeat Chaos, Sailor Moon. Your friends may be dead but they are most certainly not gone. They are praying for you, Sailor Moon. Though their Sailor crystals are in Chaos' grasp, they still shine with all their might in support of you."  
  
Usagi could only nod. After all their sacrifice, after everything she'd done and said, they would still believe in her?  
  
"They love you, Sailor Moon. And love is the most powerful thing of all; you, of all people, would know that."  
  
"Yes," Usagi agreed quietly. "I would. I have so many loving friends..."  
  
"And Sailor Star Maker and Sailor Star Healer still believe in you. They have lost their planet, lost their princess, and even lost their leader and friend, but they still believe you will win. They know of the power of your soul now, Sailor Moon, even if they did not know it before. They want to see you win. They will lend their power to help you if you will only ask."  
  
"No." Usagi shook her head. "I won't ask for their power. Those two have lost so much; they even lost Seiya because of me, but they don't hate me for it. I couldn't ask them..."  
  
"Then don't. But they pray for you too, Sailor Moon. We all do."  
  
The shadow faded away, and a sword materialized in front of Usagi. She carefully took it in her hands, expecting it to be a lot heavier than it actually was.  
  
"Daijoubu, Sailor Moon. You can be the true Light of Hope, if only you keep believing."  
  
The pink light faded, and Usagi was again standing before Sailor Chaos.  
  
"I believe in love," she said softly but firmly. "I believe in justice. I believe in the power of my heart. And because I believe those things --"   
  
She turned around to face the Starlights, who no longer looked like they'd been run over by a truck. " -- and I believe in my friends --"  
  
Usagi turned back to Sailor Chaos. "You. Will. Not. Win."  
  
Chaos was NOT AMUSED. This whole take-over-Earth had lost any of the fun it might have had. She had tried reason, murder, and finally an all-out attack, but this soldier would simply not give up. Why? Why?!  
  
"I defeated Sailor Galaxia, Sailor Moon," Chaos reminded her snidely, "She said those exact words to me, and look at where she is now! The 'legendary Sailor Senshi' reduced to a mere puppet for me to use! What makes you think you can defeat me?"  
  
Usagi smiled slightly and held up her sword, "I'm not Galaxia."  
  
Lacking any kind of finesse, Usagi lunged with the sword. However, what she lacked in a fencer's grace, she more than made up for in determination. She WAS going to defeat Sailor Chaos. She didn't need twinkle-toes to hack with a broadsword.  
  
Chaos called forth her own obsidian blade and parried. She was NOT going to lose to this child. Galaxia had been defeated! Surely the White Moon Princess couldn't be that much more difficult.  
  
"Galaxia must have been noble," Usagi said through gritted teeth as she swung again, "She spent her life trying to kill you, but she went about it the wrong way," Swing. Miss. Try again, "She tried to solve everything by herself, which is why she lost. But not me! Not me!"  
  
Usagi's crescent moon blazed. Sailor Chaos cried out as the light singed her exposed skin, but she did not lower her defenses. She couldn't afford to lower them.  
  
"I won't lose because my friends will always fight with me!" Usagi drew back her Sword of Sealing and swung it forward with all the strength she could muster.   
  
Somewhere, in a far field, the crying woman looked to the sky and saw the glint of the sword.   
  
Finally.  
  
"Let me fight with you, Sailor Moon," she whispered and clasped her hands to her breast, "The armor is vulnerable just under the abdomen...you must hit her there."  
  
She could see the sword draw closer and closer...  
  
...and Usagi connected.  
  
Chaos screamed as the sword went cleanly through her body, front to back. Blood immediately began to seep out, staining her skin and Usagi's. Not only was it painful because, well, she'd just been speared, but the sword was obviously made out of some Super Metal, because it was searing her skin like it was a lit match.  
  
The only thing Maker could think to say was, "Wow."  
  
"Maybe we're going to win after all," Healer looked up, tears finally spilling down her face. "Man, Seiya, I wish you could see this...Your girlfriend is kicking ass."  
  
Usagi gasped, but she could not bring herself to let go of the sword. Chaos stumbled backwards, grasping at her midsection. This couldn't be happening!  
  
"You did it, Sailor Moon!" Maker's tired brain couldn't come up with anything better for a rallying cry, but it seemed to do the job.  
  
"I...I did..." Usagi stepped backwards. "Galaxia...?"  
  
Chaos' body was writhing in agony, but still managed a smile. "Thank you...Sailor Moon. You freed me. Ah!"  
  
She gasped in pain, and Usagi started to cry. "You succeeded where I failed...you saved everyone. You are truly the finest soldier in the universe."  
  
The black armor exploded and Usagi had to let go of her sword to protect her face. There was a massive WHOOSH of air, followed by an inhuman shriek, and then cold. Bitter, awful cold...  
  
I was so close!!! Damn you, Sailor Moon!!!  
  
Then nothing.  
  
No coldness, no whooshing air, no screaming, just...silence.  
  
Usagi slowly opened her eyes to find not the demon Chaos impaled on her sword, but rather a very pale and very svelte woman.  
  
Galaxia's original form.  
  
She was grasping the bare blade with bleeding fingers and breathing heavily. Insanely enough though, she was smiling. She was on her knees, impaled, but she was looking through all the hair in her face at Usagi and was ~beaming.~  
  
Usagi's hands flew to her mouth in horror, "I'm sorry!" she cried, "I'm so sorry! I can heal you! I know I can--!" she clumsily reached for her brooch, but of course it wasn't there.  
  
Galaxia laughed softly, "Even you cannot stop Death, White Moon Princess..."  
  
The sword began to glow a soft pink and then vanished. Beside Galaxia, a tiny, familiar silouehtte took shape and substance.  
  
"Chibi?" the girl asked, brushing Galaxia's cheek with her fingertips.  
  
Galaxia smiled slightly, "Welcome home, my Light of Hope," she grimaced in pain, and Usagi squeaked, "I'm no longer the soldier of legend..."  
  
"There is a new legend being written..." Galaxia smiled. "You will be the most beautiful star in all the galaxy. You must never forget what Chaos is done...it will be back."  
  
Usagi looked at the blood on her hands, the blood on Galaxia's dress. "I'm so sorry..."  
  
"Do not be sorry." Galaxia began to slump forward. "You did something I could never do - you beat Chaos. It will be thousands of years before it can even think of attempting this again. And when it does..."  
  
"You will shine brighter than I ever did." There were tears in Galaxia's eyes. "I congradulate you, Sailor Moon."  
  
"T-thank you..." Usagi said softly. "I only wish it didn't end this way..."  
  
"End?" Galaxia breathed her last breath. "But this is only the beginning..."  
  
And then it was over. Galaxia's body disappeared in a shimmer of golden dust, and a single starseed flew up into the air. The darkness shattered, revealing the most beautiful blue sky Usagi had ever been blessed to see.  
  
"Sailor Moon?"  
  
Usagi turned around, sniffling. Maker and Healer were on their feet, and they too were crying.   
  
"Thank you," Maker whispered. "You can't know how much this means to us...to everyone."  
  
"You won," Healer chuckled, "Whaddaya know? Seiya was right about you..."  
  
"Seiya..." Usagi murmured and let her wings envelope her, "Rei-chan...Mamo-chan..." her shoulders began to shake violently, "Mamo-chan..." Usagi looked up to the two Starlights, tears silently flowing down her face, "I won, didn't I? So where's Mamo-chan...?" she sniffled miserably, "Everything I did...and I still lost everyone! It's not fair, Taiki-san!" Usagi scrubbed at her eyes, "It's not fair..."  
  
Maker exchanged a look with Healer. This girl had just defeated CHAOS and she was CRYING...?  
  
But wasn't it understandable?  
  
"Sailor Moon..." Maker shook her head. No, that wasn't quite right, "Usagi-chan," she started again, "You did you're best...no one could've saved them from Chaos. But you've prevented Chaos from hurting anyone ever again...doesn't that count for something?"  
  
"My friends are gone..." Usagi clenched at her hair and let out a choked sob, "It was pointless!"  
  
"We'll be your friends...we understand," Healer, not without massive effort, lowered herself to a knee, "We'll be the subjects you lost...and you can be our princess."   
  
Maker followed suit, grunting a little as she bent down to one knee.  
  
"I don't understand," Usagi sniffled. "It was my fault that your Princess died...it was my fault that Seiya died...but you still protected me. I don't deserve anything more than contempt from you..."  
  
"You were the true Light of Hope all along, Usagi-chan," Maker smiled. "Kakyuu-hime knew all along that you would be the one to end the Sailor Wars."  
  
"And even though we failed," Healer choked on the word, "to protect her, it's okay. Because you did everything we couldn't. You saved your planet and you stopped Chaos."  
  
"If anyone failed, it was me! I couldn't protect the people I love!" Usagi clasped her hands on her bare chest. "Ami-chan, Mako-chan, Minako-chan...Haruka-san and   
  
Michiru-san...Setsuna-san and Hotaru-chan...  
  
"Mamo-chan...Rei-chan...Seiya..."  
  
She sobbed quietly. "I should be so happy. I won, didn't I? I saved the Earth, I saved everyone, but I couldn't save the people I love the most. They all died for me, and I couldn't do a thing to protect them. It's so selfish of me, but it feels like an empty victory if they can't share it with me. I feel like...I feel like I failed them. I let them down."  
  
"You didn't let me down, Odango."  
  
It couldn't be.  
  
It wasn't possible.  
  
Usagi turned around, not daring to hope that it was...  
  
Seiya.  
  
"I never thought I'd see you go ballistic like that!" A grin spread broadly over Fighter's face. "That was undoubtedly the coolest thing I've ever seen."  
  
The temptation to roll her eyes never tempted Usagi. Nor did a tongue lashing. Instead, Usagi's lower lip began to quiver and she ~threw~ herself at Fighter. At the very alive, very cocky, very alive, very surprised, and very alive Fighter.  
  
Fighter "oofed" as a wall of crying, be-winged Usagi collided with her chest and clung to her with the ferocity of a wet cat swathed in superglue, duct tape, and rubber cement. But she smiled softly, and wrapped her arms around Usagi's quaking shoulders, "Miss me?" she asked wryly.  
  
"Dahwahwah, Seeiiiiyaaaaa!" with a sniffle for punctuation was Usagi's only reply.  
  
"Is that you, Seiya?" Healer grumbled, trying not to show her blatant and overwhelming relief, "Because if it is, I'm going to kill you for that stunt you pulled."  
  
"Stunt ~I~ pulled?? Look at you!" Fighter crinkled her nose in mock disgust, "What the hell did you two do?? Play in Galaxia's food processor?"  
  
"Nobility the hard way," Maker coughed and sagged until she was flat on her back, "It hurts like hell, but at least we're not dead...thanks to her."  
  
"Yes..." Seiya gazed lovingly down at Usagi, who still hadn't stopped caterwauling. She chuckled softly and ran her gloved fingers through Usagi's hair, "You did good, Odango."  
  
If possible, Usagi's hold became even tighter, "They're gone, Seiya..." she managed to choke out, "The others are still gone..."  
  
"Wait until Mamoru-san sees this!"  
  
Usagi "meeped" into Fighter's collar.  
  
Could it be? Really? Honestly? Truly?  
  
Well, of course! some snarky inner voice snapped at her, Who else would be so rude after being resurrected?  
  
"Rei-chan!" Usagi knocked Seiya over to give her the leverage she needed to tackle Rei.  
  
Fighter sat up and rubbed the back of her head. "Well, that was certainly a nice moment while it lasted."  
  
"And why are you naked?" Rei shouted, muffled by the death grip Usagi had her in. "What possessed you to lose your dress? Do you have a fondness for skinny dipping that you never told me about?"  
  
"Rei-chan..." Ami clucked her tounge. "If Usagi-chan likes being naked, that's her own buisness."  
  
Usagi made another "meep." "Ami-chan...!"  
  
Healer was standing over Fighter, looking down on her and trying to seem menacing and angry. "You know, you big doofus, if I didn't love you so much, I'd be mad that you went and died like that."  
  
"Thanks. I think," Fighter chuckled. "You guys did great. I mean it."  
  
"We're just glad to have you back," Maker rubbed at her aching shoulder as she kneeled next to Fighter.   
  
"Man, Usagi-chan, you were awesome!" Makoto grinned, pumping her fist into the air. "You stopped Chaos!"  
  
Minako smiled, looking at Makoto and then at Usagi (who had, by now, sucked Ami into the same death-hug.) "You did us proud, Usagi-chan."  
  
"Minna!" Usagi squealed and somehow managed to engulf all four Senshi into her Hug of Ultimate Death, "I missed you!" she let out a long wail and began to cry harder, "I missed you so much!!!"  
  
"Baka!" Rei yelped from somewhere in the confines of Hug of Ultimate Death-ness, "Get THAT out of my face!"  
  
Maker looked on at the tangle of fukus, wings, and limbs and sighed, "Not ten minutes ago, Chaos was on the brink of killing us all and now it's back to the same old, same old."  
  
"Yeah..." Healer nodded in agreement and then squinted, "I just wish I could see it."  
  
"You're not missing much," Fighter smirked, "Just a lot more of Odango's anatomy then I ever thought I'd be seeing..."  
  
"Seiya!" Healer yelped and bonked her on the head with her knuckles, "You've been dead all day and you STILL only have sex on the brain!"  
  
"Don't you ever do that AGAIN!!!!" Usagi sniffled, managing to moosh all her Senshi closer to her, "If you EVER die for me again, I will do something HORRIBLE!"  
  
"It can't get much worse than this," Rei groused, still in the same unfortunate position.  
  
"I'm almost afraid to announce my presence..." a new voice chimed in.  
  
Usagi's eyes managed to widen more, and she gasped.  
  
"Don't be, Setsuna-mama...she can't possibly entangle anyone else in that hug."  
  
"Setsuna-san! Hotaru-chan!" Usagi's head poked out of the mass of bodies. She sniffled. "I'm so glad! But that only leaves..."  
  
"Princess, I..."  
  
Haruka's mouth opened and closed, sort of like a dying fish. Her brain's connection with her mouth had apparently been ruptured, because she couldn't think of a damn thing to say. "I'm sorry" couldn't even begin to describe how sorry she really was.  
  
She looked over at Michiru, who was looking at her feet, and then tried again. "I..."  
  
Haruka's face was beginning to feel wet; her breath hitched in her throat. She was supposed to be dead, dead, dead! Burning in Hell! Not here...not alive. She didn't deserve it.  
  
"Haruka-san... Michiru-san...?"  
  
Michiru inhaled sharply, "What do we do now, Haruka?"  
  
"Make it up as we go."  
  
"Isn't that how we got into this mess in the first place?"  
  
"Yeah..." Haruka sighed. "But it's the only option we've got. Again."  
  
"Princess, we...we did a terrible thing," Michiru said softly, looking up to see Usagi's eyes spilling over with tears. "We don't deserve to be here."  
  
"We were so fucking stupid," Haruka swallowed. Hotaru stepped forward, wanting to give her papa a hug, but she was waved away. "Please, Hotaru-chan...I don't even deserve to look at you, after what I..."  
  
"Papa..." Hotaru tried to step forward again, but Setsuna's hand on her shoulder held her back.  
  
Haruka gulped as she did her best to meet Setsuna's angry crimson gaze.   
  
"How dare you," the older Senshi started, and much to everyone's surprise, tears began to trickle down her cheeks, "What do you think gave you the right to do something so incredibly fucking stupid without telling us?"  
  
Haruka blinked and winced all in one. Somehow, Michiru's hand had magically wound up in her own, and she tightly entwined their fingers. She deserved this lashing. They both did. Hell, they should be grateful they were getting off with ONLY a lashing.  
  
"We could have had a great plan!" Setsuna said, and angrily scrubbed away her tears, "At least we wouldn't have died angry..." she swallowed a few times before she could continue, "If anything, we may have been spared seeing the Princess' naked ass."  
  
Everyone blanched.  
  
"She told another joke," Michiru managed to sputter and she twitched.  
  
"Truly the end of the world," Haruka said in the same dumbfounded tone.  
  
This time, nothing stopped Hotaru as she ran to her papa and engulfed her in an Usagi-esque hug, "It's okay, Haruka-papa..." she whispered softly, "I know you didn't mean it...you didn't mean it..."  
  
Haruka clutched at her child as though she were a lifeline...  
  
...leaving Michiru to deal with the masses.  
  
"Usagi-chan..." she managed to say at the same time Usagi said "Michiru-san..."  
  
They both blinked tearfully at each other.  
  
"I'm sorry," they both murmured, turning away.  
  
"Rei-chan..." Michiru met the gaze of the soldier STILL squashed into Usagi's chest, "I...I...don't have the words..."  
  
Rei smiled slightly, "I understand," she murmured and then her tone became wry, "Trust me, being dead was a lot nicer than my current predicament."  
  
"Rei-chan!" Usagi huffed indignately.  
  
"Well it was!"  
  
"I help save your life and THIS is how you repay me??"  
  
"If I was saved for THIS, I would prefer death!"  
  
"You're so mean!"  
  
"Someone has to keep you on your toes without the intent of killing you!"  
  
"I think this means we're forgiven," Haruka muttered from somewhere in Hotaru's hair.  
  
Michiru looked over to the still sniffling Setsuna. The Time Senshi nodded once.  
  
"As long as we don't screw up again, love."  
  
"I'm not planning on it."  
  
Fighter watched the scene with a bittersweet smile on her face. "Did you ever think we'd make it to this day, guys? The day when Galaxia was just...gone? Poof?"  
  
"Nah, I figured we'd be toast long before now," Healer said, and then winced. "Actually, we ~are~ toast. But we're alive."  
  
"But the Princess..." Maker sighed. "Guess we can't have everything."  
  
"After all this," Fighter scrunched her eyes shut. "After all this, we still don't get a 'happily-ever-after...'"  
  
Healer sighed sadly. "We let her down."  
  
"That's nonsense, Healer, and you know it."  
  
Nonononono...it couldn't be...  
  
"Princess!" Maker scrambled to her feet as best she could, attempting to kneel at Kakyuu's feet. It was haphazard at best, silly looking at most, but the other two Starlights did the same.  
  
Fighter wiped futiley at her face. "Princess, you're alive! You don't know how happy we are..."  
  
"Maybe we do get a 'happily-ever-after,'" Maker whispered. "Just maybe."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure," Kakyuu smiled wryly, "What's all this about swearing your devotion to a different princess?"  
  
Fighter blinked in spite of herself, "I missed that..."  
  
"If you weren't so busy staring at Sailor Moon's butt..." Healer muttered, only to be rewarded with a smack from Maker.  
  
"It seemed like a good idea at the time, Princess," Maker said humbly, trying to keep a straight face, "You know...everyone was dead and all."  
  
Kakyuu was obviously biting the inside of her cheeks to keep from giggling. Or crying in utter relief, "Well, I suppose I can share you," she said in her best mock regal tone, "After all, the White Moon Princess DID save the universe from Chaos and all..." Kakyuu finally released her hold on her emotions, and let the tears slip, "Oh, my Starlights, you did so well..."  
  
Fighter, being the only Starlight who wasn't in a state of charbroiled-ness, engulfed her princess in a protective hug.  
  
"We'll go home soon," Kakyuu promised quietly, "As soon as everything is in order."  
  
Back in the Hug of Ultimate Death, Usagi had somehow managed to engulf the Outer Senshi as well.  
  
But still...  
  
"Mamo-chan..." she whispered, somehow quietly enough so none of her Senshi could hear her, "Where are you?"  
  
Was it possible that he had been gone too long? That now there was no way to bring him back? Usagi couldn't live with that...  
  
"Mamo-chan...please...I saved our planet for you."  
  
"I knew you would, Usako."  
  
Mamoru's face was lit up gorgeously by the ethereal light of...wherever it was that they were. "Usako...you were amazing."  
  
"All present and accounted for," Fighter said, wiping at her face again. "Not a bad track record, I must say."  
  
Most of the Senshi Usagi was holding extracted themselves from her grip, something she gladly allowed them to do. Her wings shuddered, and she was afraid to reach out and hug him lest he disappear in a flurry of paperclips or something.  
  
Fortunately, Mamoru took it upon himself to do something intelligent, and quickly pulled her into a fierce embrace. Usagi latched onto him quickly, burying her wet face into his shirt.  
  
"Mamo-chan...!"  
  
Mamoru clutched at her tightly as she shook violently from the force of her sobs, "I just want you to know I was with you the whole time," he whispered softly, "I just wish I could have protected you."  
  
Usagi murmured something into his shoulder that seemed to be a cross between "menorrr" and "urfmmm". But she still clung to him, as if terrified that he would up and vanish. And, in the end, she was probably justified for doing so...  
  
"I am so sorry," he continued as he began stroking her back, "I tried so hard to make you feel me...but my shine just wasn't strong enough to reach so far..."  
  
Usagi was silent, save for a few hiccupping sobs.  
  
"Chibi!"  
  
The Senshi and the Starlights all glanced heavenwards to see a winged Chibi-Chibi looking down at them.  
  
"Chibi chibi!" the little girl waved frantically. Millions of Sailor crystals had surrounded her, ready to return home, "Chibi!"  
  
Feeling a bit foolish, Healer and Maker waved slightly. The other Senshi regarded her with a somewhat confused, cock-eyed expression. Chibichibi smiled broadly and giggled, before disappearing in a flurry of Sailor crystals.  
  
"I think it's time we all went home," Kakyuu said quietly, "All of us."  
  
"Agreed," Rei said cordially, "Usagi...are you..." she paused for a moment. Somehow, in the light of all that had happened, it seemed rather stupid to say something like, "Ready to go?"   
  
She needn't have worried about sounding like an idiot.  
  
Mamoru was still holding Usagi close, but he was chuckling slightly. At Rei's raised eyebrow, he glanced down at Usagi, "You are never going to believe this," he laughed softly, "But she's asleep."  
  
Everyone was silent for a moment, and then Fighter began to giggle.   
  
"Odango's one of a kind!" she managed, before nearly doubling over.  
  
"Usagi..." Rei slapped her forehead in annoyance. "She just saved Earth...again!...and she falls asleep."  
  
Mamoru smiled, looking at the angelic expression on his Usako's face. "I think, just this once, we'll allow it."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
The sunset was gorgeous. There was nothing Michiru loved more than to see the sun dip below the horizon line, creating a fiery orange picture in the sky.  
  
She pulled up the collar of her jacket as a cool seabreeze pulled at her hair. Haruka had anticipated this breeze, and wrapped her arm around her lover's shoulders.  
  
"Did you ever think you'd see something as beautiful as this, Haruka?" Michiru asked dreamily, leaning back against the jazzy yellow sportscar.  
  
"I've got something more beautiful right next to me," Haruka murmured, burying her head into Michiru's soft hair.   
  
"Awww, that's so sweet, Papa!" Hotaru said, leaning out of the backseat. "You're making Mama blush!"  
  
Indeed, Michiru was turning a very nice shade of red. "Haruka, you are such a flatterer."   
  
"It's saved her many times from sleeping on the couch, as I recall," Setsuna commented wryly, looking up at the sky.  
  
"If I wasn't so happy right now, I'd hit you, Puu," Haruka said, but she didn't sound particularly serious about it.  
  
"Don't call me 'Puu'," Setsuna said automatically.  
  
"Well, stay out of the intimates of my sex life."  
  
"Ohhhhh, how I'd love to..."   
  
"Puu!" Michiru scolded mockingly, "We DO have children with us!"  
  
Hotaru leaned back into her seat with a small huff, "It's not like I can't HEAR you anyways..." she mumbled grumpily to yourself.  
  
Haruka chuckled and shook her head. It felt too good to be outside, on the coast to start a verbal war with her family.   
  
Family...Haruka turned the word over in her mind for a few moments. Yes, it had started out as a duty: Pluto had brought baby Hotaru to them so they could protect her until she could awaken, but somehow in there it had just become...this wonderful bond that was even stronger than blood. Haruka had never felt such love or had so many moments of the warm and fuzzies with her biological family after all...  
  
And here they were, at the beach during twilight, basking in the knowledge that the world was free from Chaos.  
  
Ah, but life was good.  
  
Four shooting stars blazed across the sky and then blinked into oblivion.  
  
Haruka smiled to herself. So. They were going home again.  
  
Good luck, she wished them. Thank you for everything...and I'm sorry.  
  
"Will you miss them?" Michiru whispered into her ear. Obviously, Michiru had seen the four stars as well.  
  
"Nope," Haruka smirked, "I don't do well with competition for your attention. Will you?"  
  
Michiru giggled lightly, "Of course! It's so rare the opportunity to see you jealous!"  
  
"Obviously, you didn't see her when the mailman wished you a good afternoon today," Setsuna murmured, not quite to herself.  
  
Haruka felt her ears burning.   
  
"Did you make a wish, Haruka-papa?" Hotaru asked as she bounded back out of the back-seat.  
  
"You're too young to hear about Haruka's wishes," Setsuna said soothingly as she ran her fingers through Hotaru's hair, "And you're probably better off not knowing anyways. I know I sure am."  
  
"You're a pervert, Puu," Haruka grumbled.  
  
Hotaru rolled her big, purple eyes and then turned to Michiru, "Did you wish for something, Michiru-mama?"  
  
Michiru eyed her daughter for a moment before turning her gaze back towards the heavens, "Wish on what?" she asked innocently, "There's nothing there!"  
  
Hotaru sighed in frustration, "Setsuna-mama?" she said hopefully.  
  
"I wished for a sundae," Setsuna said honestly, "A really big sundae with extra fudge..."  
  
"That's not a real wish!" Hotaru sputtered indignately.  
  
"Lot's of chopped nuts..." Setsuna continued with a dreamy look in her eye, "Whipped cream just PILED on top of this behemouth...and real whipped cream mind you, not the aersol stuff...and the king of the cordial cherries..."  
  
"She's lost in her own world, sweetie," Michiru patted Hotaru's shoulder reassuringly. "Several millennia at the Time Gate will do that."  
  
Slowly, but so reliably, the moon began to climb over the horizon and into the sky. Everyoneseemed to fall into a quiet silence, where the only sound was the lapping of waves and the soft hum of Haruka's car.  
  
"It's so big tonight." Hotaru was awed: normally, the moon was just a small coin in the sky. But tonight, it must have been four times that big. It lit up the ocean and the little yellow car with an etherial, other-wordly glow.  
  
"It's as big as life," Michiru agreed, quietly. "Just like our Usagi-chan."  
  
"A lover's moon," Haruka looked down, with a conspiratorial wink at Michiru. "So we can guess what our favorite fairy tale royalty is doing right now..."  
  
Michiru tickled Haruka on the neck, and she squeeked. "Stop that, you.   
  
They won't be copulating for years yet!"  
  
Haruka squeeked again, which caused Hotaru to giggle. "That's not what   
  
I meant!"  
  
"Give it up, Haruka. We know you're a not-so-closet hentai." Setsuna raised one eyebrow.  
  
"I am not!"  
  
"Explain the Xena costume to me, then."  
  
"..."  
  
"Haruka-papa, you said that was for Halloween!"  
  
"Oh, we used it on Halloween..."  
  
"Michiru!"  
  
"What? We did!"  
  
The happy family once again settled into a pleasant verbal war, as the stars twinkled joyfully at their second chance.  
  
Across town, on a small bridge, Usagi and Mamoru looked at each other.   
  
Usagi carefully got on her tiptoes, and without a word, wrapped her arms around Mamoru's neck and kissed him. Nothing passionate, like Haruka had in mind, but sweet and tender. Mamoru returned the favor, bending down so Usagi wouldn't have to stretch up quite so far. The moonlight lit them up like two angels, giving them each a soft halo. And if one looked very closely, they could see the faint outlines of a crystal city on the surface of the moon. 


End file.
